The present invention relates generally to agricultural harvesting machines, and more particularly relates to a mechanism for repositioning the machine as it is trailed behind a prime mover to enable the machine to be transported in less than its normal operating width.
Agricultural mowers are well known and include self-propelled and pull-behind types. One common problem with pull-behind mowers involves transporting the machines between fields as the width of the machine may be 15 feet or more. Machine movement may be necessary over farm lanes, through gates or even some highways where the machine width will not allow passage in the operating orientation. One solution is to reconfigure the mower for transport by re-orienting the mower 90 degrees from its normal operational orientation and towing the mower along its operational lateral axis. This approach generally involves the addition of mechanisms to reorient the wheel axles of the wheels that support the unit in a mowing configuration, hereinafter referred to as “mowing wheels,” 90 degrees for lateral transport or add transport wheels that can be deployed for lateral transport. The additional transport wheels and positioning mechanisms are typically complex and often encumber normal operation of the mower.
It would be advantageous to provide an agricultural mower that could be conveniently re-oriented for over-the-road transport towing in the direction of its operational lateral axis. Further advantages would be realized by a transport wheel mechanism that is stows a transport wheel able in a manner minimizing the impact on mower operation when not in use, but that enables the transport wheel to be quickly and easily deployed for stable lateral transport of the mower. Still further advantages would be realized by a lateral transport system that can be produced with less cost that the separate trailer lateral transport option it replaces.